VASCARA COMMERCIAL
In this article, we unveil our first experience in renting audiovisual equipment for 102 Production and the Vietnamese clothing brand Vascara.
This project allowed us to dive into the world of a fashion shoot, alongside the talented members form by the 102 Production team, including the director Hoa Thanh.
The Vascara Brand
Vascara is a Vietnamese fashion brand known for its modern elegance and refined craftsmanship. Specializing in shoes, bags, and accessories, it embodies a sophisticated and accessible style, catering to women looking for trendy and functional pieces.
With a network of stores in Vietnam and an identity rooted in innovation, Vascara has established itself as a key reference in the world of women’s fashion.
The Vision Behind the Video Advertisement
As simple service providers on this project, we did not receive a detailed brief or instructions. We only had the main guidelines and a moodboard to guide our work.
We knew that French luxury brands are particularly popular in Asia, and that Paris, with its unique charm, stands out as an iconic city of refinement and elegance.
The Equipment Rental
Having briefly worked with us in the past, the director turned to our team again to rent lighting for night scenes. The advantage of our service lies in the night-time delivery of the equipment directly to the shooting location, as well as the provision of an assistant.
Our first step was to understand the desired visuals through a moodboard. In the fashion world, lighting is generally neutral or white (5600K Kelvin) and positioned to highlight the model, creating a butterfly shadow under the nose.
In the fashion world, it's not uncommon to see “candid” photos, often taken on the fly, whether during the day or at night with a direct flash, producing very white and artificial light.
This type of photo is appreciated because it brings a certain naturalness, capturing the models in spontaneous and authentic situations. The lack of excessive preparation allows for visually raw yet aesthetic moments, giving the images a more organic touch.
The Chosen Equipment
In video production, it is sometimes essential to have high-end equipment, such as a large and heavy professional light, to justify a certain level of production quality. However, we believe that the most important thing is to provide the equipment best suited to each situation in order to achieve the best possible results.
We also understand that it is crucial to ensure a minimum level of quality by ensuring that the necessary power is sufficient and that the batteries have enough autonomy to last the entire evening, thus maximizing the investment, particularly with regard to the models, makeup artists, and other service providers.
Lessons Learned
When testing the Aputure 600D Pro in backpack mode, we noticed that when the ventilation is not effective enough, particularly when it is in a bag, the power of the device automatically decreases.
We believe that our Nanlite 500B II would have better met this need. To be completely honest, the Nanlite 60B II would have been perfectly suited to the situation.
Sometimes, a subtle and light light gives better results, as it can be used more often and adjusted more easily. This is why we invested in a 60 cm softbox and NP-F970 batteries for our Nanlite 60B II, especially for portable lighting needs, particularly at night.
Shooting in Paris
Shooting in various locations in Paris is a challenge, especially during peak hours. It’s not uncommon, for example, to be stuck for an hour to cover less than 10 km by car.
We think a solution might be to schedule shootings during less crowded times, like very early Sunday mornings. However, even these slots have their drawbacks, particularly in terms of safety and talent availability.
It might be more sensible for us to consider using one or more public scooters capable of carrying one or more suitcases or even the public transportations, while keeping the equipment as minimal as possible. Another option would be to favor aesthetic yet less crowded locations with available parking spaces. However, we understand that some clients prefer very popular and easily recognizable locations.
Our Experience
In the end, we greatly appreciated the opportunity to discover the world of fashion and work alongside a talented team.
It was both a pleasure and an inspiration to watch Hoa Thanh working on his craft, turning filmmaking into a graceful ballet between the model and the director although, we would have liked to be more agile to let him capture more shots.
We hope to have the chance to collaborate again on a similar concept with the same challenges, in order to test our new solutions and improve the quality of our services, particularly with more suitable lighting.